A fate for organic acids, formaldehyde and methanol in cloud water: their biotransformation by micro-organisms

Amato, Pierre; Demeer, F.; Melaouhi, A.; Fontanella, Stéphane; Martin-Biesse, A.-S.; Sancelme, Martine; Laj, Paolo; Delort, A.M.

doi:10.5194/acp-7-4159-2007

Cited by 112 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…High RH (i.e., aerosol LWC) might be favorable to the production of LA and GA in aerosol associated with microbial activity. LA can be further transformed by microbial metabolism to pro- duce organic compounds such as pyruvate and lactaldehyde in the case of cloud water (Amato et al, 2007). The average LA concentration in daytime samples (37 ± 68 ng m −3 ) was substantially larger than that in nighttime samples (11 ± 11 ng m −3 ).…”

Section: Possible Sources Of Lactic and Glycolic Acids In Marine Aeromentioning

confidence: 98%

Low-molecular-weight hydroxyacids in marine atmospheric aerosol: evidence of a marine microbial origin

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Lactic acid (LA) and glycolic acid (GA), which are low-molecular-weight hydroxyacids, were identified in the particle and gas phases within the marine atmospheric boundary layer over the western subarctic North Pacific. A major portion of LA (81 %) and GA (57 %) was present in the particulate phase, which is consistent with the presence of a hydroxyl group in these molecules leading to the low volatility of the compounds. The average concentration (±SD) of LA in more biologically influenced marine aerosols (33 ± 58 ng m −3 ) was substantially higher than that in less biologically influenced aerosols (11 ± 12 ng m −3 ). Over the oceanic region of phytoplankton blooms, the concentration of aerosol LA was comparable to that of oxalic acid, which was the most abundant diacid during the study period. A positive correlation was found between the LA concentrations in more biologically influenced aerosols and chlorophyll a in seawater (r 2 = 0.56), suggesting an important production of aerosol LA possibly associated with microbial (e.g., lactobacillus) activity in seawater and/or aerosols. Our finding provides a new insight into the poorly quantified microbial sources of marine organic aerosols (OAs) because such lowmolecular-weight hydroxyacids are key intermediates for OA formation.

show abstract

Section: Possible Sources Of Lactic and Glycolic Acids In Marine Aeromentioning

confidence: 98%

Low-molecular-weight hydroxyacids in marine atmospheric aerosol: evidence of a marine microbial origin

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…considered possible implications of bacteria as sources of oxygenated organics in the atmosphere with implications for HOx radical chemistry and organic aerosol formation. The role of airborne bacteria as potential sources and sinks for acetone and other volatile organics in the atmosphere is one of the interesting questions in microbiologicall meteorology, with implications for climate and weather (Amato et al, 2007a). In the face of the foreseen climate changes, an important goal of future research would be to quantify the extent to which microorganisms are involved in atmospheric processes that could mitigate the undesirable foreseen changes and to predict how human activities might enhance some of these processes.…”

Section: Consolidating Microbiology and Atmospheric Sciences In The Umentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiology and atmospheric processes: research challenges concerning the impact of airborne micro-organisms on the atmosphere and climate

Morris

Sands

Bardin³

et al. 2011

Biogeosciences

184

115

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. For the past 200 years, the field of aerobiology has explored the abundance, diversity, survival and transport of micro-organisms in the atmosphere. Micro-organisms have been explored as passive and severely stressed riders of atmospheric transport systems. Recently, an interest in the active roles of these micro-organisms has emerged along with proposals that the atmosphere is a global biome for microbial metabolic activity and perhaps even multiplication. As part of a series of papers on the sources, distribution and roles in atmospheric processes of biological particles in the atmosphere, here we describe the pertinence of questions relating to the potential roles that air-borne micro-organisms might play in meteorological phenomena. For the upcoming era of research on the role of air-borne micro-organisms in meteorological phenomena, one important challenge is to go beyond descriptions of abundance of micro-organisms in the atmosphere toward an understanding of their dynamics in terms of both biological and physico-chemical properties and of the relevant transport processes at different scales. Another challenge is to develop this understanding under contexts pertinent to their potential role in processes related to atmospheric chemistry, the formation of clouds, precipitation and radiative forcing. This will require truly interdisciplinary approaches involving collaborators from the biological and physical sciences, from disciplines as disparate as agronomy, microbial genetics and atmosphere physics, for example.

show abstract

“…The first one is on the formation of cloud drops, when scavenged aerosol particles act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), contributing to the composition of the initial drop. The aqueous environment of the drop is also adequate for the absorption of soluble trace gases, working as a catalytic factor to many chemical reactions possible only in aqueous media (Scott and Laulainen, 1979;Hegg et al, 1984;Hegg and Hobbs, 1988), and biotransformation by microorganisms (Amato et al, 2007). The second removal process takes place when precipitation begins.…”

Section: T Pauliquevis Et Al: the Role Of Biogenic Contributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol and precipitation chemistry measurements in a remote site in Central Amazonia: the role of biogenic contribution

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. In this analysis a 3.5 years data set of aerosol and precipitation chemistry, obtained in a remote site in Central Amazonia (Balbina, (1 • 55 S, 59 • 29 W, 174 m a.s.l.), about 200 km north of Manaus) is discussed. Aerosols were sampled using stacked filter units (SFU), which separate fine (d < 2.5 µm) and coarse mode (2.5 µm < d < 10.0 µm) aerosol particles. Filters were analyzed for particulate mass (PM), Equivalent Black Carbon (BC E ) and elemental composition by Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE). Rainwater samples were collected using a wet-only sampler and samples were analyzed for pH and ionic composition, which was determined using ionic chromatography (IC). Natural sources dominated the aerosol mass during the wet season, when it was predominantly of natural biogenic origin mostly in the coarse mode, which comprised up to 81 % of PM 10 . Biogenic aerosol from both primary emissions and secondary organic aerosol dominates the fine mode in the wet season, with very low concentrations (average 2.2 µg m −3 ). Soil dust was responsible for a minor fraction of the aerosol mass (less than 17 %). Sudden increases in the concentration of elements as Al, Ti and Fe were also observed, both in fine and coarse mode (mostly during the April-may months), which we attribute to episodes of Saharan dust transport. During the dry periods, a significant contribution to the fine aerosols loading was observed, due to the large-scale transport of smoke from biomass burning in other portions of the Amazon basin. This contribution is associated with the enhancement of the concentration of S, K, Zn and BC E . Chlorine, which is commonly associated to sea salt and also to biomass burning emissions, presented higher concentration not only during the dry season but also for the April-June months, due to the establishment of more favorable meteorological conditions to the transport of Atlantic air masses to Central Amazonia. The chemical composition of rainwater was similar to those ones observed in other remote sites in tropical forests. The volume-weighted mean (VWM) pH was 4.90. The most important contribution to acidity was from weak organic acids. The organic acidity was predominantly associated with the presence of acetic acid instead of formic acid, which is more often observed in pristine tropical areas. Wet deposition rates for major species did not differ significantly between dry and wet season, except for NH + 4 , citrate and acetate, which had smaller deposition rates during dry season. While biomass burning emissions were clearly identified in the aerosol component, it did not present a clear signature in rainwater. The biogenic component and the long-range transport of sea salt were observed both in aerosols and rainwater composition. The results shown here indicate that in Central Amazonia it is still possible to observe quite pristine atmospheric conditions, relatively free of anthropogenic influences.

show abstract

A fate for organic acids, formaldehyde and methanol in cloud water: their biotransformation by micro-organisms

Cited by 112 publications

References 31 publications

Low-molecular-weight hydroxyacids in marine atmospheric aerosol: evidence of a marine microbial origin

Low-molecular-weight hydroxyacids in marine atmospheric aerosol: evidence of a marine microbial origin

Microbiology and atmospheric processes: research challenges concerning the impact of airborne micro-organisms on the atmosphere and climate

Aerosol and precipitation chemistry measurements in a remote site in Central Amazonia: the role of biogenic contribution

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About